9
QuizMultiple Choice

Earth's Interior

Question 9 • Earth and Space A 26-27

Why is Earth's outer core hotter than Earth’s oceanic crust?

Answer
E
Earth’s oceanic crust is denser than Earth’s outer core is.
E
Earth’s oceanic crust has lava flowing from the mantle.
E
Earth’s outer core has a composition of solid iron and nickel.
E
Earth’s outer core is deeper within Earth than oceanic crust is.

Explanation

Temperature generally increases with depth inside Earth because deeper layers are closer to the planet’s hot interior and experience greater pressure. The outer core lies thousands of kilometers below the surface, while oceanic crust is at the surface, so the outer core is hotter. The correct choice is D, “Earth’s outer core is deeper within Earth than oceanic crust is.”

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.

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